Wild, historic land to become state-owned forest along I-95 corridor in SC
Two land protection groups have engineered the preservation of about 1,700 acres of swamps and woodlands in South Carolina that will eventually become a state forest in the Lowcountry near Interstate 95.
The land being preserved in Beaufort County is significant because it runs between two major protected areas, the ACE Basin and the Coosawhatchie Heritage Preserve, according to a map released Thursday by the Open Space Institute and the Open Land Trust.
The Open Space Institute acquired the land in what it says is part of a larger property protection effort in the Lowcountry. In addition to the 1,742 acres announced for protection Thursday, about 1,100 acres are targeted for preservation in the area. Those deals are expected to be finalized by next spring.
Beaufort County, the state Conservation Bank and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are paying for most of the acquisition, an institute official said. The deal announced Thursday cost about $12 million, with the total price for both phases about $19 million, the Open Space Institute’s Nate Berry told The State newspaper.
“This property offers us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to safeguard clean water sources, create new public access to nature, and preserve sites of tremendous historic importance,” a news release said, quoting Berry, an institute land protection officer .
Gov. Henry McMaster said Thursday the protection of the land along I-95 dovetails with his vision of conserving millions of acres so they won’t be “covered over with concrete.’’
The land announced Thursday for protection has about 1,000 acres of upland forests and more than 400 acres of wetlands, as well as 60 acres of lakes and ponds, the news release said. The ponds and lakes drain into the Tulifinny and Pocotaligo rivers of the Lowcountry. (The Lowcountry’s Pocotaligo is a different waterway than the Pocotaligo River near Sumter, which is in the state’s mid-section.)
Protecting the property will preserve water quality in nearby rivers, the release said. Also on the property are historic sites, including ruins dating to the 1700s. The acquisition is part of a larger effort to protect tens of thousands of acres in the Lowcountry north and west of Beaufort
The property was sold by Chilton Timber and Land Co. Open Space Institute officials said it is a key acquisition because the Interstate 95 corridor is a prime spot for development. The land is expected to transfer to the state Forestry Commission in May, Berry said. The Forestry Commission’s role follows a recent trend of preserving land through the commission.
“The creation of a new state forest is cause for celebration,” State Forester Scott Phillips said in the news release. “We look forward to managing these lands for recreation, education, and sustainable forestry, ensuring they continue to thrive and delight for generations to come.”
The ACE Basin, which is adjacent to the land that will become a state forest, covers hundreds of thousands of acres. It has been nationally recognized because it includes both state owned land and private property that owners have agreed not to develop.
This story was originally published December 12, 2025 at 6:56 AM.
